Someone’s surely earned themselves a profanity laced tirade from the White House Obama Campaign
(CNN) Despite winning a trophy case worth of awards — including Motor Trend Car of the Year and North American Car of the Year — the Chevrolet Volt plug-in car has failed to meet GM’s sales expectations.
The problem is simple: The car’s price is simply too high for most customers to swallow, according to analysts.
Well, there is something to that: even most rich folks aren’t willing to shell out $40,000 for a car that goes 35 miles per charge
The Chevrolet Volt is a so-called “range-extended electric car.” It can go about 35 miles on a fully charged battery before a gasoline engine generates power for further driving.
Well, even I have to defend the Volt: most who’ve test driven find the range to be more like 50-70 miles (with no heat or AC on, of course.) But, the point is still the same: what’s the point if you end up using the gas engine? For that kind of money, I could buy a fully loaded Prius or Escape Hybrid, and have money left over for a nice vacation.
In it’s three model years or production, the Edsels sold 84,000 cars. What does it say about the Volt if it’s 70,000 units behind the Edsel?
So, its a 2012 Car of the Year /!?!?/11!!??
What is freaky new about it? What makes it a technological wonder above all the others? Heck, the Tesla is better that the Volt.
But, here is the good news…
and go fewer miles
Interestingly, Dana, the #1 seller for February 2012, with 47,273 sold, is the Ford F Series pickups. Kinda says what’s important to Americans, eh? Heck, Honda has sold almost 50K Civics so far, and they are cheaper, get great MPG, and you can go further than 50 miles.
I suspect that the Volt will be cancelled at the beginning of 2013, regardless of who wins the election.
That just proves that William Teach is in the pay of the wealthy oil robber barons who throw cash around to anyone who stands up against GAIA.
You may be right, but I think the government will make it attractive for fleet sales to the point where the Volt will stay alive for the “next gen” Volt. We already see a subsidy for the Volt, so with more tax breaks for an “American eco-car,” fleets may buy the thing.
Remember, in the early 1970′s Ford and GM survived against the invasion of the Japanese cars simply on the strength of fleet sales. That market may keep the Volt alive.
The Nissan Leaf, on the other hand, should be gone within the next year or so. It’s sales are trending downward and are below the Volt.
Yeah, there is that possibility, especially since most sales seem to be to government and fleets already. Few private party sales are occurring.